Korean Dictionary
How to say "Tearful" in Korean
“Tearful” in Korean is 울먹이다 (pronounced "Ulmeoggida").
울먹이다
Ulmeoggida
Usage & Context
Describes being on the verge of tears, voice trembling with emotion. Very visual and expressive — 울먹이는 목소리 (tearful voice) is a common phrase. Often seen in emotional K-drama scenes and touching moments.
Example Sentence
그 이야기를 듣고 목소리가 울먹였어요.
My voice became tearful after hearing that story.
How to use 울먹이다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Tearful” is 울먹이다, romanized as Ulmeoggida.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 울먹이다.
Pronunciation Guide
울 (Ul) sounds like 'ool' in 'pool'. 먹 (meok) is like 'muck' but with a softer 'uh' sound and a very light 'k'. 이 (i) is 'ee' like in 'see'. 다 (da) is 'dah' like in 'dah-ling'. The stress is fairly even across syllables.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
울먹여요
Ulmeogyeoyo
This is the common polite form used in most daily conversations.
Casual (반말)
울먹여
Ulmeogyeo
Used when speaking to close friends, family, or people younger than you.
More Example Sentences
Describing a child about to cry for their parent.
아이가 엄마를 찾으며 울먹였다.
The child whimpered, on the verge of tears, looking for their mom.
Someone receiving an award and getting emotional.
그는 감격스러운 표정으로 울먹이며 수상 소감을 말했다.
He spoke his acceptance speech tearfully, with an emotional expression.
Trying to hold back tears during an emotional moment.
목소리가 울먹이는 걸 겨우 참았어요.
I barely managed to keep my voice from becoming tearful.
Cultural Context
울먹이다 perfectly captures the moment just before tears fall, often accompanied by a trembling voice or quivering lips. It's a very common expression in K-dramas to show a character's deep emotion, whether it's sadness, overwhelming joy, or frustration. You'll often hear '울먹이는 목소리' (a tearful voice) or see '울먹이는 표정' (a tearful expression) when characters are trying to hold back their emotions.
Editorial note
We review entries like 울먹이다 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
울먹이는 목소리
tearful voice
울먹이는 얼굴
tearful face
울먹이며 말하다
to speak tearfully
Related Expressions
눈물이 글썽이다
nunmuri geulsseongida
eyes welling up with tears
흐느끼다
heuneukkida
to sob, to whimper
웃다
utda
to laugh (antonym)
슬프다
seulpeuda
to be sad (related emotion)
More Emotions Words
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